usually preferring sandy soil, and often throw up quite good-sized mounds, 

 to which there are several entrances, each with a well marked trail leading 

 from it. The entrances are often closed during the day. Frequently the 

 holes are under a bush or yucca, and almost invariably there are two 

 entrances, one on either side of the bush. Trails run from one bush to 

 another, and the colony is a network of trails. I have on a few occasions 

 dug out burrows, but without gaining much information as to the habits 

 of the owners; but I may have been unfortunate in my choice of digging 

 places. They are quite social and live in colonies of various sizes, a num- 

 ber of holes being found not far apart. 



The food is principally seeds of various kinds, and leaves of som? 

 plants are also eaten. Stores are laid up in the burrows against scarcity 

 and inclement weather, for while they do not hibernate, they may remain 

 within doors during cold or stormy weather. The food is placed in the 

 cheek pouches with the fore paws, used like hands. When it is desired 

 to empty the pouches the animal puts its fore paws behind the pouches 

 and brings them forward, pressing against the face at the same time, thus 

 forcing out the contents. I have seen a pocket gopher do this and the 

 movements are very quick. 



JUMPING MICE. 



The Jumping Mice, which must not be confused with the Kangaroo 

 Rats, belong to the genus Zapus, a small group which with the exception 

 of one species is confined to North America. They are small animals, 

 with bodies about the size of House Mice, with the hindlegs greatly elon- 

 gated, and with very long tails. Of some twenty known species and sub- 

 species two have been found in Colorado, the Prairie Jumping Mouse, Zapus 

 luidsonius campostris, and the Rocky Mountain Jumping Mouse, Zapus 

 priiu-eps. The former has been found in various counties in northeastern 

 Colorado, while the latter appears to be pretty generally distributed 

 through the mountainous portions of the state. 



The color is buff, which on the back is much darkened by blackish 

 hairs, so that the animal appears to have a wide buff stripe on either side. 



Rocky Mountain Jumping Mouse, K:ipu.x princcpM; about half 

 life size. 



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